MR VS. KUIU

[Ty208]

Looking to invest in a day pack. No real reason why, other than I’d like one Narrowed it down to the MR 2 DAP and the KUIU VENTURE 1800. Both have what I’m looking for. Curious how others experience have been with either? Thanks in advance guys...

 

[mcl]

I am interested in this as well. I am looking between these companies.

 

[Cody_W]

I have a venture 1800 I use for a whitetail bag, very well built like everything else Kuiu I own. Can’t comment on the MR bag aside from I’m sure it’s of equal quality. Pick the one that looks the best or is priced the best, can’t go wrong either way.

 

[Ledanek]

No experience with KUIU.

If this is your first Mystery Ranch, this is a gateway drug-into the rest of their packs once you tried their Adjustable yoke. I skipped this particular bag, mainly for those side bottle pouches. It's very versatile for many applications besides hydration. It's just I prefer the stretchy material found on the Mystery Ranch Coulee 25-40 and Mystery Ranch Front. I have their ASAP, 3DAP Gen1 with daisy chains vs MOLLE, Front, Rush, Coulee 25 & 40, Pintler, Sawtooth 45 and Stein 62...so yeah, that Adjustable yoke got me and only other Harness I found very comfy are Hill People Gear Tarahumara pack.

By the videos I saw on the KUIU VENTURE 1800, this has more "organization" than 2DAP. I often use Dry Bags or Pouches, so organization or lack off, is not a deal breaker for me.

I have no laptop to validate the 2DAP's laptop compartment.

Buckles for the Mystery Ranch are easily replaceable and can be found anywhere.
Their Lifetime Warranty is NOT restricted to the original owner....double check that.
The materials are hardcore to say the least. My oldest is the MR Rush. It can still appear New-ish

 

[Wyatt.Carter]

No experience with KUIU.

If this is your first Mystery Ranch, this is a gateway drug-into the rest of their packs once you tried their Adjustable yoke. I skipped this particular bag, mainly for those side bottle pouches. It's very versatile for many applications besides hydration. It's just I prefer the stretchy material found on the Mystery Ranch Coulee 25-40 and Mystery Ranch Front. I have their ASAP, 3DAP Gen1 with daisy chains vs MOLLE, Front, Rush, Coulee 25 & 40, Pintler, Sawtooth 45 and Stein 62...so yeah, that Adjustable yoke got me and only other Harness I found very comfy are Hill People Gear Tarahumara pack.

By the videos I saw on the KUIU VENTURE 1800, this has more "organization" than 2DAP. I often use Dry Bags or Pouches, so organization or lack off, is not a deal breaker for me.

I have no laptop to validate the 2DAP's laptop compartment.

Buckles for the Mystery Ranch are easily replaceable and can be found anywhere.
Their Lifetime Warranty is NOT restricted to the original owner....double check that.
The materials are hardcore to say the least. My oldest is the MR Rush. It can still appear New-ish

Sounds like your keeping them in business!

 

[Ledanek]

Sounds like your keeping them in business!

It's a good company. I just wish one more feature: option to have it Made in USA. My USA made ASAP and Vietnam made Front is very hard to distinguish when it comes to craftsmanship. The stitching, the lack frays, the materials...again, indistinguishable.

I wrecked so many other packs, including those REI and Ospreys.

Another good company is Tactical Tailor...USA Made

 

[willfrye027]

Why not get a regular Kuiu pack? 1800 and 3000 series compress down to nothing, you won’t even know it’s back there. When you kill you can get it all back in one trip. The Kuiu packs are so light and trim I don’t see a reason to have a separate day pack.

 

[Cody_W]

If you're in no hurry, when they relaunch the Ultra line of bags, a 1800 ultra would couple well with their pro or ultra suspension. I personally feel that the pro suspension is worth the little bit of weight added, I run a ultra 4000 on the new pro suspension and it fits like a glove and fits everything and more needed for a 6 day elk trip spike camp. Thats including a 95mm Swarovski ATX strapped the side.

 

[ChrisAU]

If you're in no hurry, when they relaunch the Ultra line of bags, a 1800 ultra would couple well with their pro or ultra suspension. I personally feel that the pro suspension is worth the little bit of weight added, I run a ultra 4000 on the new pro suspension and it fits like a glove and fits everything and more needed for a 6 day elk trip spike camp. Thats including a 95mm Swarovski ATX strapped the side.

I also love my Ultra 4000 on the new pro suspension, but I believe I've heard there is no new Ultra line coming, which seems crazy. @RosinBag any news on a revamped Ultra line of bags?

 

[RosinBag]

I also love my Ultra 4000 on the new pro suspension, but I believe I've heard there is now new Ultra line coming, which seems crazy. @RosinBag any news on a revamped Ultra line of bags?

There is some truth to that, but I don’t have a timeline, just no it is in the works.

 

[Cody_W]

I bet it will be sooner than later since they pulled the other bags off the site post running a big sale on the lineup.

 

[ChrisAU]

There is some truth to that, but I don’t have a timeline, just no it is in the works.

I had a typo, meant to imply that I thought they were not planning on replacing them. Glad to hear they are!

 

[dr_mateo]

A lot of good info thanks

 

[Stephcha]

I have and use both.

I just upgraded to a 2020 Metcalf and that pack fits my body well. I also had a old Dana Designs in the 90s (dana owned both companies). I have many MR items like a laptop backpack, and a travel duffel called the rover.

I have a Kuiu Pack that I had pieced together over about a year in the outlet section. And really also like that pack as well. It has turned mostly to my backpack packing / warm weather set up. I use the Ultra 4000 bag for backpacking and my body just loves love it.

My suggestion is buy both, try both on in the home and return the one that DOES NOT FIT. Each pack has a return policy and feel free to use them. To me it is fit over everything.

 

[*zap*]

I have used my mr guide lite quite a bit on training hikes and it has worked fine for me with up to 60#. I think it is the best value for your $ if you can find a good used one for the right price (good deals seem to come along on used mr's more often that the other hight end brands)....I have seen them for very reasonable prices. My sg's and kifaru are a step up but I really use the mr an awful lot. It came with a mule bag which I found to small and sold and I put an arc'teryx bora 65 internal frame on it.....after taking off the belt, straps, frame stays and I need to get around to taking off some more stuff (unneeded weight) from that bag and adding a load shelf onto the bag...

 

[Shrek]

Chinese and Vietnamese communist packs to be proud of. There’s really good USA made options if you care to look.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Chinese and Vietnamese communist packs to be proud of. There’s really good USA made options if you care to look.

^^^What he said^^^

 

[switchback7]

I have an MR but wouldn't mind buying Kifaru

 

[Shrek]

I have an MR but wouldn't mind buying Kifaru

I’m a huge fan of Kifaru but there’s more daypacks made in America than just Kifaru. There’s Hill People Gear for another option. Someone said Tactical Tailor is made here although I’m not familiar with them. Great packs made in the USA are not that hard to find. It isn’t like technical hunting clothes which is really tough to find. I had almost all my hunting clothes stolen a couple of days ago and I’m going to do my best to find some American made clothes to replace them with. Packs I have covered with Kifaru

 

[notradame]

I have kuiu ultra 6000 and icon pro3500? there nice, really like weight, i almost always use the 3500 cause of size and pockets. I pack out 3/4 each elk and deer each season and carries meat well. I would improve a few things so its not perfect, buddy bought new one last year and they definetely updated pack in last few years and are trying to make it even better. Hope it helps